Freezer lock assembly



Sept. 9, 1969 F. E. RYDER FREEZER LOCK ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 .der

Sept. 9, 1969 F. E. RYDER FREEZER LOCK ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 zaz J93 J96 55 5Q United States Patent ice 3,465,557 FREEZER LOCK ASSEMBLY Francis E. Ryder, Des Plaines, lll., assignor to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 683,171 Int. Cl. E0511 65/06; Ec 19/12 US. Cl. 70-139 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ing member and door latch or hook is constructed for.

partial preassembly with the outer lock body so that the parts may be handled and assembled with a freezer door as a unit.

The present invention relates to a novel lock assembly, and more specifically to a lock assembly especially suitable for use with freezers and the like. Food freezers presently being manufactured usually include a door lock. Such locks which are of more or less conventional construction generally have outer or main body members formed from metal and constructed so as to have one end exposed at the outer face of the door. An element or latch member of the lock extends through the door for engagement with a suitable cooperative member on the inside of the freezer. Since metal is an excellent conductor of heat, the metal parts of the lock become quite cold. As a result there is a tendency for moisture in the air which contacts the outer end of or enters the interior of the lock to condense on the metal parts and to run down the outer surface of the door and make a mess or freeze so that the lock becomes inoperative.

The aforementioned locks commonly used for freezers often are of a construction which makes assembly of the parts with each other relatively diflicult and expensive. Furthermore, such locks have usually included an outer or main body member constructed so as to require a complementary fastener such as a nut, retaining ring and the like for securing it with respect to the freezer door. These constructions have usually required access to the lock from the rear of the door panel as well as from the front in order to permit installation.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock especially suitable for use in connection with freezers and the like and constructed so as to minimize or eliminate any possibility of moisture condensation or of frost or ice forming on or within the lock.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock assembly wherein principal parts thereof are formed from a material such as plastic which is a relatively effective heat insulating material so as to minimize the possibility of moisture condensation or of frost or ice forming on or within the lock.

Patented Sept. 9, 1969 A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock assembly for closure members or doors, which assembly is constructed so that it may be easily and securely assembled with the door from one side thereof without the aid of auxiliary fastening devices and in a manner which prevents subsequent removal of the lock assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock assembly having a main body member and a tumbler retaining body member, which assembly is constructed so that said body member may be partially preassembled with each other and handled and installed in a door or panel as a unit, the members being further constructed so as to be secured with respect to the door panel without the aid of auxiliary fastening devices and so as to interengage with each other, when fully assembled, for preventing removal of the lock from the door panel.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock assembly constructed so that compo nent parts thereof may be easily and economically assembled with each other and particularly so that tumbler elements thereof may be readily assembled and retained.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a lock assembly incorporating features of the present invention installed in a freezer door;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partial sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing a main body member and a combined tumbler retaining body means and hook element of a lock assembly incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an outer end view of the main lock body member;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first step in the process of assembling the combined tumbler retaining body means and hook element with the main body member;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing the elements of the lock structure in a partially preassembled condition, in which condition the structure may be handled as a unit;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an initial step in the process of installing the partially preassembled lock structure in a door panel or the like;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view showing the lock structure with the main body portion thereof partially assembled with the door panel;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the main body member of the lock structure fully assembled with the apertured panel;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the combined tumbler retaining body means and hook element fully assembled in the main body member;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the main body member of the lock element;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 1313 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line 1414 in FIG. 10;

FIG. is a partial sectional view taken generally along line 1515 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the tumbler elements and tumbler retaining body means of the lock structure;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the tumbler retaining body means turned 90 from the position shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along line 1818 in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 19-19 in FIG. 20; and

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along line 2020 in FIG. 19.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a lock assembly incorporating features of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 installed in a door 32 of a unit such as a food freezer 34. It is to be understood however that lock structures of the type contemplated herein may be used in a variety of different installations.

In the embodiment shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, the door 32 comprises a sheet material outer panel 36, an inner wall 38 and a body 40 of insulating material therebetween. The door closure 32 carries a gasket 42 and is adapted to be closed and sealed against a front face 44 of the freezer 34. A member 46 having an aperture 48 therein is secured within the freezer for cooperating with a latch portion of the lock assembly in the manner described below.

The lock assembly 30 comprises a main or outer body member 50 which is adapted to be mounted in and secured with respect to the door or closure 32. The main body member is also adapted to receive a combined tumbler retaining and latch member 52 as will be described fully hereinbelow. The member 52 is formed for receiving and retaining a plurality of wafer tumblers 54, 56 and 58 and cooperating springs 60, 62 and 64 (see FIG. 16) which are secured within the member 52 by an auxiliary tumbler retaining member 66 as will be hereinafter set forth. In order to minimize heat transfer when the lock is installed in a unit such as a food freezer and also to prevent moisture from condensing within the lock, the members 50, 52 and 66 are formed from a thermal insulating material and preferably from a tough, resilient plastic material which does not become unduly brittle when subjected to cold temperatures. For example, nylon and similar polyamide materials are suitable.

The body member 50 is preferably injection molded in a single piece and is formed with a head portion 68 presenting a radially extending face 70 adapted to overlie an outer surface of the door panel 36. A shank 72 extends axially from the face 70 and is adapted to be inserted through an aperture 74 in the door panel 36. A bore 76 is formed through the head and shank portions 68 and 72 for receiving the member 52.

The shank portion 72 and the margin of the workpiece aperture 74 are formed for interengaging with each other and preventing rotation of the body member 50 within the workpiece. In the embodiment shown, the shank por tion is provided with a generally rectangular section 78 immediately adjacent the head and presenting a first pair of opposite substantially straight side edges for engaging opposite edges of the workpiece aperture. In addition, cam elements 80 and 82 having substantially parallel edge portions 84 immediately adjacent the head are provided on the remaining opposite sides of the shank for engagement with the other opposite side edges of the workpiece aperture and thereby centering the body member within the aperture. In order to assure predetermined orientation of the body 50 within a workpiece aperture, a key element 86 projects from the shank portion for engagement within a notch 88 in one edge of the aperture.

Resilient wing elements 90 and 92 are formed as part of the shank of the body member 50 for engaging behind the door or workpiece panel 36 and cooperating with the head portion 68 in securing the body member with respect to the door. These wing elements are integrally joined at 94 and 96 respectively to opposite sides of the entering end of the shank and normally extend rearwardly toward the head portion and flare laterally outwardly as shown in FIGS. 3, 10 and 11. Free ends of the wing elements have shoulder surfaces 98 and 100 which are engageable behind or against the inner edge of the workpiece aperture 74. As shown in FIG. 8, the outwardly flaring outer side surfaces of the wing elements 90 and 92 engage the opposite edges of the workpiece aperture during assembly of the body member 50 within the workpiece so that the wing elements are initially collapsed. Slots 102 and 104 are formed in free end portions of the wing elements for providing clearance for the projections 80 and 82 when the wing elements are collapsed as shown in FIG. 8. When the body member has been fully inserted, the wing elements spring laterally outwardly for engaging the workpiece as shown in FIG. 10.

The member 52 has a first tumbler retaining section 106. As shown best in FIGS. 16, 17, 19 and 20, this section has chambers 108, and 112 opening at opposite fiat sides 114 and 116 through narrow slots 118, 120 and 122. The end section 106 has a closed side 124 providing the chambers with a bottom surface while the opposite side is open as indicated at 126. When assembling the parts, the aforementioned springs 60, 62 and 64 are first inserted through the open side 126 into the chambers 108, 110 and 112 so that they rest against the bottom provided by the side 124 as shown best in FIG. 20. Then the wafer tumblers 54 and 56 and 58 are respectively inserted into the chambers.

The auxiliary member 66 serves to retain the tumblers and springs and also to provide a guide for receiving a key and directing the key into association with the tumblers. Thus the member 66 has a head portion 128 for overlying the outer end of the section 106 and a shank portion 130 adapted to extend over the opening 126 and cover the tumbler receiving chambers. In addition, a resilient finger element 132 extends axially from the head portion 128 opposite from the shank section 130 and terminates in an inturned hook 134. The finger element is adapted to extend into a notch 136 formed in the side 124 of the end section 106 and the hook element is adapted to snap into a slot 140 for retaining the member 66 in assembled relationship with the member 52.

The member 66 has an axially extending opening or slot therein for receiving a blade portion 152 of the key. The tumblers are provided with central openings 154, 156 and 158 which are aligned with the opening 150 and are also adapted to receive the blade of the key. These openings in the tumblers are of varying size for interengagement with different portions of the key blade which shifts the tumblers in a known manner to a position which enables the member 52 to be turned as will be described more in detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 the tumblers have laterally projecting finger elements 160, 162 and 164 which are engaged by their respective associated springs 60, 62 and 64 for normally biasing the tumblers so that end portions thereof project laterally through the slots 118, 120 and 122 for locking interengagement with means on the interior of the main body member 50. This means comprises ribs 166, 168, and 172 formed axially along the inner wall of the body member 50 and defining therebetween pairs of oppositely disposed grooves 174-176 and 178180. When the member 52 is in a first position with respect to the member 50 as shown in FIG. 20, end portions of the lock tumblers project into the groove 174 so that the side surfaces of the ribs 166 and 168 provide abutments engaging the tumblers and preventing rotation of the member 52. The construction of the tumblers is such that upon insertion of the key, the tumblers are withdrawn from the groove 174 so as to permit the member 52 to be turned. For example, upon insertion of the key, the member 52 may be turned 90 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 20 so that the wafers become aligned with the grooves 178. Then upon withdrawal of the key, the wafers are forced outwardly by their springs to interengage with the groove 178.

In order to limit the amount which the member 52 can be rotated relative to the member 50, a raised abutment or stop element 182 is formed on the finger portion 132 of the member 66. In addition, an end of the rib 168 is relieved as at 184 as shown in FIG. 13 to provide clearance for the abutment or stop 182. This clearance permits the stop element 182 to pass the rib 168 during the aforementioned rotation of the member 52 relative to the member 50. End portions of the ribs 166 and 172 extend beyond the relieved outer end of the rib 168 for engaging the stop element 182 and positively locating the member 52 at the desired opposite extremities of its rotative movement.

Integral with the tumbler retaining end section 106 of the member 52 are annular sections 190 and 192 separated by a groove 194. As shown in FIGS. and 15, an O-ring 196 is positioned in the groove 194 for engagement with a cylindrical interior surface of the body member 50 for sealing the passageway through the body member. Additional annular sections 198 and 200 are spaced from each other by reduced sections 202 and 204 providing annular spaces.

The innermost end annular section 200 merges with a tapering or cam section 206 which facilitates assembly of the member 52 with the member 50 in the manner to be described. This section merges with a hook or latch section including an axially extending shank 208 and a laterally extending portion 210. The latch section 210 is adapted to project through the opening 48 and engage the member 46 as shown in FIG. 2 when turned to a door locking position.

When assembling the parts of a lock structure, the tumbler springs and tumbler wafers are first inserted into their respective chambers in the member 52. Then the member 66 is telescoped over the end section 106 and the hook element 134 is snapped into the notch 140. The O-ring 196 is snapped into the groove 194 at any desired time so that these various parts form the sub-assembly in the position shown at the righthand side of FIG. 3.

Assembly of the member 52 with the member 50 is accomplished by first inserting the hook or latch section 210 into the bore 76 as shown in FIG. 5. A notch 212 is formed through one side of the body member shank 72 for providing clearance for the extreme end of the hook portion 210 as shown in FIG. .5. This clearance is sufficient to enable the member 52 to be pivoted relative to and into axial alignment with the body member 50. Then the body member is partially axially pushed into the bore 76. At this point it is to be noted that a small lateral projection or hook 214 is formed on one side of the latch section 208, which hook has a beveled entering end 216. While the diameters of the circular sections of the member 52 are similar to the minimum diameter of the bore 76, the hook portion 214 projects slightly laterally of said diameter and thus interferes with the internal wall of the bore during insertion of the member 52. However, the resiliency of the plastic material from which the member 50 is formed is sufficient to enable the shank section 72 to expand to permit the passage of the hook element 214.

The shank section 72 is provided with another slot 218 in a side thereof opposite from the aforementioned slot 212. The slot 218 has a width for a major portion of its length which is sufficient to receive the hook ele ment 214 for facilitating passage of the hook element through the member 50. However, an end portion of the slot at the extreme entering end of the body member 50 is reduced to a narrow slit 220 as shown in FIG. 11. The

construction is such that as the member 52 is axially advanced through the member 50, the shank 72 is stretched sufficiently to enable the hook element 214 to be snapped into the slot 218 and then the shank element yields or spreads to enable the hook element to be forced through the normally narrow slot 220. When the member 52 has been advanced to the position shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, it is seen that the hook element 214 has passed entirely through the member 50 and is in engagement with the entering end surface thereof at opposite sides of the slit 220. At the same time the cam section 206 is in substantial engagement with an internal annular flange or shoulder 222 formed at the entering end of the body member 50 and reducing the diameter of the bore or passageway 76. Thus, the member 52 is held against axial displacement relative to the member 50 and these members are retained in a partially preassembled unit which may be easily handled and shipped without the danger of loss of parts and which is ready for assembly with the freezer door or other workpiece. This preassembled unit is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Final assembly of the lock with the freezer door or other workpiece is accomplished in the manner shown in FIGS. 7-10. The hook element is, of course, first inserted through the workpiece aperture 74 and the body member 50 is properly positioned with respect to the aperture as shown in FIG. 7. Then the entering end of the body member 50 is inserted into the aperture and this action initially causes the wing elements and 92 to be collapsed as shown in FIG. 8. It is noted that these wing elements respectively are formed with inwardly projecting protuberances 224 and 226 for a purpose to be described. Openings 225 and 227 in the shank 72 and the aforementioned annular space around the section 204 of the member 52 provide clearance for accepting the protuberances 224 and 226 when the wing elements are collapsed.

After the body member 50 is fully inserted into the workpiece aperture and the head 68 abuts the panel 36 as shown in FIG. 9, a force is directed against the outer end of the members 52 and 66 sub-assembly for forcing this sub-assembly axially into the member 50. This action initially causes the cam section 206 to engage the shoulder 222 and expand the entering end of the shank 72 as shown in FIG. 9. When the member 52 is fully inserted as shown in FIG. 10, the annular flange or shoulder 222 snaps into the space between the sections 198 and 200 whereby the members 50 and 52 are positively restrained against axial separation while being rotatable relative to each other. At the same time, the wing elements 90 and 92 spring back toward their normal positions for engaging their shoulder surfaces 98 and 100 behind the apertured panel and the circular section 192 of the member 52 is shifted into radial alignment and engagement with the protuberances 224 and 226. This latter engagement positively prevents the wing elements from being flexed inwardly in a manner which will permit removal of the look from the panel without destruction of the lock. In other words, the lock assembly is positively and permanently secured with respect to the freezer door or other apertured panel without the aid of auxiliary fastening devices.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A lock adapted to be mounted in an apertured workpiece comprising first body means having a bore therethrough and latch means rotatably mounted in said bore, said latch means including an axial shank member and a latch member extending laterally of the free extremity of said shank member, said body means including a head portion for engaging one side of the workpiece, a hollow shank member extending axially from said head portion for insertion through the workpiece aperture, shoulder means integral with and carried by said shank for engaging the workpiece oppositely from the head portion and cooperating therewith in securing said body means with respect to the workpiece, the internal diameter and axial extent of the hollow shank member together with the axial and transverse extent of the latch means being so dimensionally proportioned as to permit assembly of the latch means and hollow shank member by initial insertion of the free extremity of the laterally extending portion of the latch means in one extremity of the hollow shank member and thereafter relative tilting and axial shifting of said shank members interengaging means on said body means and said latch means securing the same against axial separation and permitting relative rotation, said latch means including elements shiftable in response to engagement by a key for releasably engaging said body means and locking said latch means against rotation relative thereto.

2. A look, as defined in claim 1, wherein said body means comprises a one-piece molded plastic body member.

3. A lock, as defined in claim 2, wherein said latch means comprises a molded plastic member comprising an elongated axially extending portion disposed in said bore and a laterally projecting hook portion.

4. A lock, as defined in claim 3, wherein said elongated portion of said plastic latch member includes chamber means, and said elements shiftable in response to engagement with a key comprise a plurality of wafer tumblers disposed in said chamber means.

5. A lock, as defined in claim 4, wherein said elongated portion of the plastic latch member includes a pair of opposite sides having slits therein and a closed side extending therebetween defining said chamber means, said last mentioned member having an open side opposite from said closed side, said tumbler elements including portions extending into said slots, and an auxiliary plastic member connected with said latch member and including a portion extending over said open side and retaining said tumbler elements within said chamber means.

6. A lock comprising first body means and latch means adapted to be partially preassembled to provide a unit which is to be subsequently mounted in an apertured workpiece, said body means including a head portion for overlying one side of the workpiece, a shank portion extending axially from said head portion for entry into the workpiece aperture, laterally collapsible shoulder elements on said shank portion adapted to engage behind the workpiece and cooperate with said head portion for securing the body means with respect to the workpiece, said body means having an axial bore therethrough, said latch means disposed in said bore and axially shiftable from a partially inserted position providing said preassembled unit to a fully inserted position when said lock is fully assembled with said workpiece, and said latch means and said shoulder elements including interengaging portions which are offset from each other when the latch means is in said partially inserted position for permitting collapsing of the shoulder elements during insertion through the workpiece aperture, said interengageable portions being in radial alignment and substantially in engagement with each other when said latch means is in said fully inserted position for preventing collapsing of the shoulder elements and removal of the lock means of the apertured workpiece.

7. A lock, as defined in claim 6, which includes interengaging means on said body means and said latch means retaining said latch means in said partially inserted position, said last mentioned interengaging means being yieldable for permitting said latch means to be shifted to said fully inserted position.

8. A lock, as defined in claim 6, wherein said latch means includes an elongated axially extending portion extending through said bore of the body means and a laterally extending hook portion projecting from an inner end of said elongated portion, said shank portion of the body means having a slot therein for accommodating said hook portion of the latch means during initial insertion of the latch means into the bore means.

9. A lock, as defined in claim 8, wherein said elongated portion of the latch means comprises an outer end section including tumbler accommodating chamber means, tumbler elements disposed in said chamber means, and said latch means including an auxiliary member coupled with said outer end section and retaining said tumbler elements in said chamber means.

10. A lock for installation in a door panel having an aperture therein comprising a one-piece molded resilient plastic body member insertable into said aperture, axially spaced means integral with said body member for engaging opposite sides of said door panel, said body member having a bore extending axially therethrough, a latch member including an elongated portion extending into said bore and adapted to be axially shifted from a first partially assembled position to a second fully assembled position within said body member, interengaging shoulder means on said body member and said latch member for retaining said latch member in said first position, one of said shoulder means being yieldable under pressure to permit said latch member to be forced from said first position to said second position.

11. A lock, as defined in claim 10, wherein said bore is of at least a predetermined diameter, said interengaging shoulder means including a shoulder on said body member projecting radially inwardly to a diameter less than said predetermined diatneter and having a predetermined length axially of said bore, said shoulder means further including an annular section on said latch member having a diameter similar to said predetermined diameter and a shoulder element on said latch member axially spaced from said annular section a distance similar to said predetermined axial length, said annular section and said shoulder element embracing said radially inwardly extending shoulder on the body member when said latch member is in said first position, and said latch member including another annular section 'spaced axially from said first mentioned annular section away from said shoulder element and a distance similar to said axial length, said first and second mentioned annular sections embracing said radially inwardly extending shoulder when said latch member is in said second position.

12. A lock, as defined in claim 11, which includes tapering cam means adjacent said first mentioned annular section for expanding said radially inwardly extending shoulder of the body member during movement of said latch member from said first position to said second position.

13. A lock, as defined in claim 11, wherein said axially spaced means integral with said body member for engaging opposite sides of the door panel include a head portion at one end of the body member for engaging one side of said door panel and a plurality of resiliently flexible wing elements integrally joined to an opposite end of said body member and extending toward said head portion and presenting shoulder surfaces facing the head portion for engaging said door panel, said wing elements being collapsible during assembly of the body member with the door panel for permitting said last mentioned shoulder surfaces to be snapped behind the door panel, and said wing elements including laterally inwardly extending projections engageable with said second mentioned annular section on said latch member when said latch member is in said second position for preventing lateral collapsing of the wing elements and removal of the body member from the door panel.

14. A lock as defined in claim 1, wherein the axial shank member joins the latch member to form a hook, the free extremity of which is insertable within one extremity of the bore.

15. A lock as defined in claim 10, including thermal insulating means interposed between the outer periphery of said latch member and the inner wall defining the bore of said body member.

16. A lock as defined by claim 10, wherein thermal insulation means is in the form of an annular sealing member interposed between the outer periphery of the latch member and the inner periphery of the Wall defining said bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Swilens 79-364 5 Vile 70139 Hinds 70-139 X Pelle 70--3 64 X Hammerly 70-81 10 3,089,329 5/1963 Kerr 7086 X 3,176,487 4/1965 Duvenbaugh 70137 3,212,307 10/1965 Hallgren 70364 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

